What kind of wood is good for knife handles?
You can check the answer of the people under the question at Quora “how to make a knife handle from wood“
About Remi
Written by: Remi
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What kind of wood is good for knife handles?
You can check the answer of the people under the question at Quora “how to make a knife handle from wood“
About Remi
Any wood that’s not splintery or porous will work. I prefer American walnut, it’s hard, tight-grained and if needed, can be easily checkered for a better grip.
If you’re making a kitchen knife, I’d buy a couple of packages of plain (not self-adhesive) veneer, pick out the prettiest, cut them to rough size and then laminate the lot using Titebond III. Put the prettiest one on the outside, the rest won’t show. Let them set for a month or two, then drill and size them.
Apple, if you can find it, makes a hard-working and pretty hilt. Hard maple is boring but sturdy. Pecan works well.
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All sorts of wood can be suitable but only when the wood has been properly prepared for making handles. If it’s not dry, it will continue to dry and this will lead to bowing and cracking if prematurely used for a handle. Without maintenance and oiling, more weathering will also occur.
Even damaged and porous woods can be stabilized for preparation for use as knife handles. But the key is the preparation process.
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Any good hardwood can be used for knife scales. I have some “Forge Craft” and “Old Hickory” knives that have been in use nearly 50 years. The blades show some age, but the hickory handles are as good as ever. A web search for “knife scales blanks” will open a lot of options for exotic hardwoods. Bear in mind that a highly polished, fancy wood may be more beauty than function.
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Well, I’ve seen them made out of almost everything. I think my favourite, not because it was practical but because it looked cool, was made out of Baltic birch plywood.
I just cut up some hard maple scraps for my nephew, and I’ve given him walnut and oak in the past. I know he’s used some exotic species when he could get his hands on them.
I think any good, close-grained hardwood would do the trick though.
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Honey Locust. You can use a branch from a tree or what you find on the ground. No need to have it stabilized.
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The shorter answer would be what sort of wood isn’t good! Nearly any decent piece of wood can be used, with some sort of finish or treatment, and some woods can be used without. Harder woods are probably a better choice than softwoods, but those can work too, depending…. a cheap work knife probably wants a handle of cheap wood, and an exquisite blade deserves an equally rare and precious wood for a handle.
The best wood for a knife handle is something that suits the knife both functionally and aesthetically, which is somewhat subjective. Straight grain can complement the lines of a knife, burl could be used, even knots could be worked in…. The world of wooden knife handles is pretty vast.
I’m going to say that a good piece of ironwood is among the best knife handle woods because of its density and durability, as well as beauty. Then again, cork is perfect for other knives…
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